“Power through the Rough Times; Live lavish in the Good Moments”

Lately I have been doubting myself and it isn’t a very healthy thing to do. I know these thoughts will pass but I hold on to these feelings hoping to never feel them again. People should grip the bad experiences and learn from them. The good moments are around the corner, don’t lose hope.

It is strange to say, but I don’t think people learn anything from high school. I have asked several people: my father, my friends mom, teachers and others; I asked them “What did you learn from high school?”. None of them could really answer that question; although they did say they did not learn much.

I did learn something that I believe I will remember. On February 15, 2017, exactly two days before my 18th birthday. I was sitting in English 112, Ms. Fiorilli’s class, trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. Yes, I am a senior in high school and my whole entire life people have asked me what I want to do with my life since I was in elementary school. People say don’t worry too much “Youre still young” but I am good at over thinking things. As I sat in class listening, she pulled a video about Bruno Mars. Bruno struggled as a kid, was closer to success, fell off the wagon of success because of drugs, then went straight towards success till today. Once this video was over Ms. Fiorilli walked up to the Promethean board and started drawing. The drawing was of success “What people think it looks like vs What is actually looks like”; this really stood out to me. I have seen the drawing hundreds of times, I guess the reason it spoke to me is because I was sitting in class. When I got home from school, I grabbed a piece of chalk and drew it on the wall in my room. I see it everyday and it reminds of this lesson. Although the concept is simple, the meaning is powerful.

I applied it to myself, I thought about all the times I have been down in the gutter, the hundreds of times I have fallen over and struggled to get up, the moments where I was all alone… and I am only 18. This is just the beginning.

The other day I was scrolling through twitter and saw a couple tweets by this one girl who goes to my school. She was upset, although we don’t talk much, being the person I am I reached out to her. She was upset about her friends, how its hard to keep some friends even if you do the absolute most to keep them. I recently learned from a friend that not everyone needs sympathy, some people need you to be down to earth with them even if they want sympathy. I told her not everyone is going to stay. People are going to walk in and out of your life like you’re nothing and It is awful. I told her to “power through the rough times; live lavish for the good moments.”

I then shared a song with her I found a couple of days before the conversation. “No Regrets” by Mike Love. It is a beautiful song performed on a ukulele and it has a strong meaning. I encourage you to listen, I am positive you wont regret it.